Recently, lawn treatment services have been popping up and growing like weeds throughout the United States. While several years ago companies providing such services concentrated on business, apartment and condominium type complexes, now such services are routinely provided for those owning single family homes. Customers who purchase such services generally desire to have a beautiful, weed-free lawn without all of the effort associated with pulling weeds and spreading fertilizers, pesticides or other herbicide products themselves.
With the growth in demand for lawn treatment services, those involved in applying herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers are generally busier. Further, even before this increased demand for such services, the operator's job was strenuous. This job involves manipulating nozzles while literally dragging long lengths of pressurized fluid-filled hoses across the lawn. This is done all day long during adverse weather conditions including some of the hottest months of the year. The strain can cause operators to become fatigued and tired long before the end of the work day.
Because the chemicals applied are generally equally available to all of the competing services, the key ingredient in developing a superior reputation in the industry is the demonstration of a great deal of care and precision in applying herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers in the correct dilution ratios. Stated otherwise, the operator must make sure that the right materials are applied in precisely the right place and also in the appropriate ratios of active ingredient to water. Failure to take such care may cause damage to plants, flowers or the like. Thus, there is a real need in the industry for equipment which enables the operator to easily, carefully and accurably apply the desired materials in the desired place and in the desired ratio without residual amounts being sprayed in undesired locations where they can cause severe damage to adjacent gardens, shrubs or trees.